Big Music goes mad for chat bots and AI

The BPI has embraced the post-human era, with a report of the use of AI in music by consultancy MusicAlly. "AI is enabling the creation of hyper-personalised playlists using contextual data and deep analysis of the relationship between songs, while artists and labels are now using chatbots to engage fan-bases in campaigns," we learn. "Gut instinct, passion for the music and human experience remain fundamental qualities in A&R and marketing, but the music sector should not ignore new tools that allow it to reach fans in exciting, new ways," the report suggests. We learn that: "Dance artist Hardwell's bot, for example, encourages fans to interact: voting for his Track Of The Week and submitting shout-outs to his radio show. In its first two weeks, 60,000 fans chatted to the bot, generating more than 1m interactions according to developer We Make Awesome Sh." [is that a word? - Ed] The report does caution that the bots may not be very intelligent.